by Kohei Noda (year 32)
This was a great project. We had learnt a lot more than we had expected to. First of all, we were able to see the other side of Vancouver, which we would never have seen if we were just tourists. It is the ignored side. Lots of different kinds of people came to the First United Church for different purposes: to get breakfast, lunch, clothing, footcare, to use the bathrooms/showers, to sleep etc. We helped do all of these things, and it was interesting because we didn't get many orders on what we should do, we just helped what we can do.
There were drug addicts, alcholics, poor people, disabled people etc. Some people didn't want to talk, but it was quite surprising that lots of them enjoyed talking to us, telling us their own stories. It really made me realise that these weren't just people on the street. They have families too. They want to talk. They want to be loved. After this experience, I think I am able to look at people on the street as 'people'. I won't walk past them pretending not to see. Another important aspect of the project was that we ended up with a lot of questions. For example, as First United Church served anyone, even if they were drug addicts, and didn't persuade them to stop drugs because it is their own choice. Is this the right thing to do? Is it really helping the society? I'm still not able to answer these question, but I will search for it.
by Jiraporn Suthaithum
I never thought before Canada has many people who have no house, no food and no money. Somebody have a lot of money, have large house and have many food to eat, and they can choose the thing that they want. In the other hand somebody have to eat everything although they do not like it.
The first time I went there I was afraid to people's behavior but I was okay for the other days. They got the money from the government; some of them use drugs and spent money to buy drugs.
This project is so good, I would like to recommend to everybody. It's not comfortable work but if you touch this work for one time, I'm sure you would like to go back same like me. I went there for 4 days but I feel to be in love with the activity that I done
NEXT: FOOD BANK AND SOUP KITCHEN -- HAVING SOME FUN ON FREE TIME
Some sample projects
Vancouver Food Bank
Vancouver Soup Kitchen
Metchosin House
Teaching about the UN
Cultural Ambassador
War Child
Media
Tofino Botanical Gardens
Hike
Bamfield Marine Science
Taking a great break